Mizuki Kurata is a supporting character in the anime Koi wa Ameagari no You ni, known in English as After the Rain. She is a first-year student at Minami High School and a member of the school's track club, specializing in short-distance sprinting. Her background reveals that she was deeply inspired by watching Akira Tachibana compete in a track event; the sight of Akira running left a lasting impression on her, and she came to admire Akira greatly. However, Mizuki herself has experienced a significant athletic setback: two years prior to the story, she suffered an Achilles tendon injury similar to the one that ended Akira's track career. Unlike Akira, Mizuki was able to recover and return to competitive running, and she continues to train as a sprinter. Her personal experience with injury and recovery gives her a unique perspective and a strong conviction that it is possible to come back from such a setback.

Mizuki is determined and direct. When she learns that Akira has quit running entirely after her own injury, she is unwilling to let Akira remain idle. She actively encourages Akira to return to the track, and she confronts Akira with the idea that giving up is not the only option. Her persistence stems from a genuine belief in Akira's talent and a desire to see the person she admired return to the sport. Mizuki's personality is earnest and forward; she does not hesitate to speak her mind, and she is willing to push Akira out of her complacency. Her role in the story is primarily that of a catalyst for Akira's potential re-engagement with the sport she loved. Mizuki challenges Akira's resignation and serves as a living example that recovery and a second chance are achievable.

Within the school setting, Mizuki is a respected athlete in her own right. She holds the freshman record for the 200-meter dash, demonstrating her own skill and dedication. Her key relationship is with Akira Tachibana, whom she both admires and pressures. Their dynamic is one of a younger athlete looking up to an older one, yet also a peer who refuses to let Akira waste her potential. Mizuki's development is tied to her ability to connect with Akira and help her face her own feelings about running. While Mizuki does not undergo a major personal arc herself, her presence forces Akira to confront the possibility of returning to the track and reexamining what she wants from her life. Notable abilities include her speed and technical proficiency as a sprinter, as well as her resilience—not only physically in overcoming her own injury, but also emotionally in persistently reaching out to Akira despite initial resistance. Mizuki's straightforward nature and her experience with adversity make her a meaningful voice in Akira's journey toward self-discovery.